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Animation & VFX · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Particles and Dynamics

While the previous course focused on solid objects, this course focuses on the elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Students will explore fluid dynamics and particle systems to create atmospheric effects. The curriculum covers smoke plumes, magical spells, rain systems, and liquid simulations, teaching students to manipulate voxels and fields to create organic, flowing motion.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Design complex particle systems (POP networks) using forces and emitters
  2. Master "Pyro" simulations for photorealistic fire and smoke
  3. Execute FLIP (Fluid Implicit Particle) simulations for water and liquids
  4. Control particle look and behavior using sprites and instancing
  5. Composite volumetric renders (VDBs) with live-action footage
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Introduction to Particles: Emitters & Life
  2. 02Forces: Wind, Drag, Gravity, & Turbulence
  3. 03Collision Detection & Particle Events
  4. 04Instancing: Turning Particles into Geometry
  5. 05Vex/Scripting Basics for Particle Control
  6. 06Sprite Rendering vs. Geometry Rendering
  7. 07Introduction to Volumes & Voxels
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Pyro FX I: Fuel, Temperature, & Burn
  10. 10Pyro FX II: Shaping Smoke & Plumes
  11. 11Introduction to FLIP (Fluids): Viscosity
  12. 12White Water: Foam, Spray, & Bubbles
  13. 13Grains: Sand & Snow Simulation
  14. 14Meshing Fluids for Render
  15. 15Compositing Volumetrics (Deep Comp)
  16. 16Final Project: The Magical Spell Effect

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Magical Spell Effect

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The Art of Fluid Animation by Jos Stam
  2. Elemental Magic: The Art of Special Effects Animation by Joseph Gilland
  3. Houdini Foundations (SideFX Official Guide)
  4. Creating Visual Effects in Maya by Lee Lanier
  5. Natural Phenomena: The Art and Science of Visual Effects
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